The Taliban cabinet announced on Wednesday that the fees for issuing a national electronic ID card (E-ID) or E-Tazkira will increase to 500 Afghanis (US$5.8), a five times increase from the first set fees of 100 Afghanis (US$1.1) during the previous government.
The price of paper IDs will also increase from 10 Afghanis to 200 Afghanis.
The Taliban’s Administrative Office confirmed in a newsletter issued on Wednesday that the decision was made.
This is the second time that the Taliban announces an increase in fees for the E-IDs since recapturing Afghanistan in August 2021. The first time, the group had increased it from 100 Afghanis to 300 Afghanis shortly after returning to power.
The newsletter detailed that the service fees for issuing ID cards for children will be 200 Afghanis and for the adults it will be 500 Afghanis. Additionally, the group has set a $200 service charge for distributing or approving ID cards or birth certificates for those applicants who are cannot show up and needs the service in their absence.
Following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, citizens have encountered significant challenges in obtaining essential documentation such as IDs, birth certificates, passports, and marriage certificates.
Reports suggest that individuals have been queuing for months at Taliban-controlled offices in search of these documents, which have become a lucrative source of income for the group.
